Civil War Torpedo Works
Port Lavaca, Calhoun County, Texas
Marker Inscription
In February 1863, local inventor E. G. Singer developed and tested a torpedo with a unique spring action ignition system on the shores of Lavaca Bay. With nine other Lavaca citizens including Singer's financial partner Dr. J. R. Fretwell and Captain David A. Bradbury, who was soon placed in charge of Confederate torpedo operations, Singer received authority to provide the new technology to Confederate forces in the vicinity. Several types of underwater and land mine torpedoes were manufactured at the experimental torpedo works in Lavaca. The devices were quickly installed in rivers throughout the South, including the Yazoo in Mississippi, and in Mobile Bay in Alabama. Singer's torpedo mines were instrumental in the defense of the Matagorda Bay area throughout 1863. (1998)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
In February 1863 local inventor E. G. Singer tested a torpedo with a novel spring-action ignition system on the shores of Lavaca Bay. With partner Dr. J. R. Fretwell, Captain David A. Bradbury, and other Lavaca citizens, Singer won Confederate authority to manufacture underwater and land mines at an experimental works here. His devices were installed in rivers across the South, from Mississippi's Yazoo to Alabama's Mobile Bay, and helped defend the Matagorda Bay area throughout 1863.
Why it matters
Singer's mines were among the Confederacy's most effective naval weapons, marking a leap in the underwater warfare that would reshape modern navies.
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Related people
- · E. G. Singer
- · J. R. Fretwell
- · David A. Bradbury
Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
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